Mason residents can pull up a chair with city council members and staff Thursday, Aug. 27, at Kala Coffee, 4503 US-42, for the latest installment of the city's "A Seat at the Table" community conversation series.

No registration is required. The format is simple: two council members and one city staff member show up at a local business, and anyone who walks in can ask questions, share ideas or raise concerns.

The city announced the event Aug. 24, calling it a chance for "relaxed, small group conversations" where leaders and residents "connect, listen and learn from one another."

How the series started

Council member Joy Bennett conceived the series after discussing the idea with City Manager Eric Hansen during the winter. Bennett said the formal council-meeting format can be a barrier.

"It's intimidating to go to a council meeting and speak during the recognition of visitors," Bennett wrote in a June 22 blog post explaining the program's origins. "You have to go up to a podium, speak into a microphone on camera, give your name and address, and you have a time limit."

The series launched June 10 at 4220 Mason Montgomery Road and has since rotated through multiple locations, including the Mason Historical Society on West Church Street. Previous sessions have started at 7 p.m., but the city has not posted a start time for the Aug. 27 session.

What to know before you go

  • When: Thursday, Aug. 27
  • Where: Kala Coffee, 4503 US-42, Mason
  • Cost: Free
  • Registration: None required

The full schedule and future locations are listed at imaginemason.org/a-seat-at-the-table/.

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